Wanted: Students with creative minds to tackle a traffic safety challenge

Traffic Control Device Student Challenge returns after pandemic pause

ATSSA and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee on Traffic Control Devices invite students to compete in the 2022 Traffic Control Device (TCD) Student Challenge.

The contest returns after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are challenged to come up with “Innovative Traffic Control Device Strategies for Speed Management on Limited Access Freeways.”

The TCD Student Challenge promotes innovation and stimulates ideas in the traffic control devices industry with a goal to improve operations and safety and encourage future generations of roadway safety professionals. As part of the challenge, individuals or student teams submit solutions in the subject area of transportation and roadway safety based on the topic for the year.

“The TCD Student Challenge is a great way for our industry to engage students in learning more about transportation and gives them an incentive to do so,” said ATSSA Director of Innovation and Technical Services Eric Perry. “Students use their creativity to come up with innovative solutions for current roadway safety challenges that practitioners are currently trying to address to save lives. This year’s challenge focuses on speed management because more than one-fourth of all traffic fatalities involve at least one speeding driver.”

The Challenge is open to high school, junior college, college or university students or teams of students who have an interest in transportation and an understanding of traffic control devices. Students in relevant fields such as transportation, human factors and technology- related curricula are particularly encouraged to participate.

Participants receive the opportunity to present their designs in a public forum during the 2022 TRB Annual Meeting, which will be held in Washington, D.C., Jan. 9-13. Three winning teams will win a cash prize and have the opportunity to present their submissions at ATSSA’s 52nd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo in Tampa, Fla., Feb. 11-15.

Applications are due by Oct. 1. Full details about the TCD Student Challenge are here.

Check out details about the 2020 winners

Key dates are as follows:

• Submission Deadline: Oct. 1, 2021
• Notification of invitation to the TRB Annual Meeting: Nov. 1, 2021
• Presentations and judging at the TRB Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.: Jan. 9-13, 2022
• Announcement of winners at TRB: Jan. 13, 2022
• Recognition of winners at ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo, Tampa, Fla., Feb. 11-15, 2022